5 Days Virunga Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike

5 Days Virunga Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike: Take 5 days adventurous safari to the Democratic Republic of Congo where you will be visiting Virunga national park. It is the oldest national park in Africa and among one of the largest on the continent. The main highlights of your 5 days Virunga safari will be a chance to embark on a gorilla trekking tour and also climb the famous Nyiragongo Mountain, with the star of your climb being the molten lava lake at the mountain summit. Your 5 days Virunga gorillas and Nyiragongo hike will start and end in Kigali, Rwanda.

Highlights for 5 Days Virunga Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike.

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali & Transfer to Virunga National Park.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking.
Day 3: Ascend Mount Nyiragongo.
Day 4 Descend Mount Nyiragongo and Transfer back to Kigali.
Day 5: Kigali City Tour & Departure.

Detailed Itinerary for 5 Days Virunga Gorillas & Nyiragongo Hike.

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali & Transfer to Virunga National Park.

Pickup and transfer to Virunga: Day 1 of your 6 Days Virunga Classic Package, pick up from Kigali (either from your hotel or Kigali International Airport) and transfer to Goma. You will cross the border at Le Grand Barrier by 10:30am and clear with the Virunga Tourism Office by 11:15am. Lucky for you, the tourism office is strategically located at the Grand Barrier Border post building, just opposite the passport control office. The tourism staff will then provide you with your gorilla and volcano trek permits. Once you are done with your check-in, you will then be transported to your lodge at the park headquarters in Rumangabo. Upon your arrival at the lodge, check-in and later have lunch. You can choose to relax at the lodge for the rest of the afternoon or explore Rumangabo’s numerous hiking trails, do some bird watching, or pay a visit to Virunga’s Congo hounds. Dinner and overnight at Mikeno Lodge.

Day 2: Gorilla Trekking.

Gorilla Trekking: Have breakfast early in the morning and transfer to Bukima Patrol Post in Virunga national park. This is where you begin your gorilla trek from. After a short briefing from a park official, you will be placed in trekking groups each consisting of eight members. You can hire a porter to carry your luggage from this patrol post. You will spend about 1 to 2⅟₂ hours hiking or even more depending on the location of the gorilla group and the difficulty of the terrain. Once a gorilla group has been located, you will be given only one hour to spend with the gorillas. After your gorilla trek, you will head to Bukima tented camp for lunch and relax for the rest of the afternoon. Later in the afternoon you can explore Bukima, do some bird watching or visit the park’s bamboo project. Dinner and overnight at Bukima Tented Camp.

Day 3: Ascend Mount Nyiragongo.

Ascend Mount Nyiragongo: After having your breakfast, you will be transported to Kibati Patrol Post where you will begin your hike up Mount Nyiragongo. After a short briefing, you will have the opportunity to hire some porters to carry your luggage. Ascending the mountain usually takes four to six hours depending on your hiking experience and pace. Spend a night at the shelters built on the mountain with dinner under the red lit skyline while watching the stars.

Day 4: Descend Mount Nyiragongo and Transfer back to Kigali.

Descend Mount Nyiragongo: Have breakfast early in the morning and leave the crater rim. Proceed with your descent down the mountain and back to Kibati patrol post. It takes approximately four hours to descend the mountain.

Transfer back to Kigali: Upon your arrival at Kibati, drive to your lodge for lunch and later proceed with your transfer back to Kigali city in Rwanda. Enroute to Kigali city, you will have a stopover at Lake Kivu in Gisenyi town for an afternoon boat cruise. Enjoy sightseeing at the lake where you will have a chance to spot some of the lovely bird species within the area. Upon your arrival in the city, your guide/driver will drop you off at your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 5: Kigali City Tour & Departure.

Kigali City Tour & Departure: Wake up at leisure and have a relaxed breakfast at your hotel. Later meet up with your guide and head out for a half day tour of Kigali City. While on your tour of the city, you will visit interesting places such as; Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, Camp Kigali, Umusambi Village, Kimironko market, Caplaki Craft Village, and Nyamirambo Women’s Center among others. Have lunch and drive to Kigali International Airport where you will board your next flight back home. End of Tour.